Majlis approves supplementary budget
The supplementary budget was passed with 39 votes exclusively from ruling coalition lawmakers in the 85-member house after opposition lawmakers boycotted the sitting.
26 Oct 2017, 9:00 AM
Parliament passed Thursday an MVR493 million (US$32 million) supplementary budget to approve unforeseen spending and new revenue-raising measures for the last two months of 2017.
More than 60 percent of the proposed extra spending was allocated for the Aasandha health insurance scheme due to the failure to streamline expenses as planned.
The supplementary budget was passed unanimously with 39 votes in favour from ruling coalition lawmakers in the 85-member house. After protesting in the chamber since August, opposition lawmakers boycotted the sitting.
Opposition lawmakers have since questioned the legitimacy of the vote as the constitution requires more than half of the total membership of the People’s Majlis – 43 MPs – to be present for “voting on any matter requiring compliance by citizens”.
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